Children at daycare center found in hot attic

A shocking discovery - police say they found five children in a hot daycare attic. Barbourville Police say a woman left the children, all under the age of eight, alone and inside an unfinished attic where the temperatures reached 102 degrees.

The investigators that entered Great Start Daycare in Barbourville called it unsanitary, unsafe, and disturbing. At first responding Friday to a complaint that the daycare wasn't licensed, they soon found children locked in the attic.

"One of the officers happened to look into the attic from a lowering ladder and saw that the children were in the attic," explained Barbourville Police Detective Steve Owens.

Police say they took five children, 8-years-old and younger, out of the attic where temperatures topped off at 102 degrees.

"It had a partial flooring. The rest of the attic was exposed insulation and wood. There were also several boards that were laying out that had nails exposed on the floor. There was wiring that was hanging loose, there was broken glass and some dead animals that we had located up there as well."

Investigators saw baby beds and cribs piled up together around the home. No adult was present.

"The children were very scared, very distraught," described Det. Owens.

Police arrested the owner of the daycare, Larinda Tuttle, and charged her with five counts of criminal abuse. They say the children did not appear to be suffering from the hot temperatures.

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